We want our children to be given the best start and be ready to take on the world of mathematics by the time they leave Ovingham CE First School. Through our well thought-out scheme of work we plan for our pupils to be confident mathematicians who have achieved fluency in all aspects of the curriculum. We have the highest expectations for every learner; we want our pupils to master maths and adopt a growth mindset approach.
Teachers use a mastery approach to teach maths, ensuring that pupils develop skills that are deep, long-term, secure and adaptable. Once they have developed a solid understanding then they can apply these skills to more advanced material. At the core of this is the concrete, pictorial and abstract (CPA) approach to maths.
Concrete – children have the opportunity to use concrete objects to help them understand and explain what they are doing.
Pictorial – children then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations, which can then be used to reason and solve problems.
Abstract – With the foundations firmly laid, children can move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence.
Our intention for pupils, as they progress, is that they are competent in problem solving and reasoning and are able to use mathematical language confidently to explain their thinking. We aim to foster a rich learning environment whilst developing a sense of curiosity, appreciation and enjoyment of mathematics in their everyday lives.
How we Implement our Curriculum
Concrete, pictorial, abstract
Objects, pictures, words, numbers and symbols are everywhere. The mastery approach incorporates all of these to help children explore and demonstrate mathematical ideas, enrich their learning experience and deepen understanding. Together, these elements help cement knowledge so pupils truly understand what they’ve learnt.
All pupils, when introduced to a key new concept, should have the opportunity to build competency in this topic by taking this approach. Pupils are encouraged to physically represent mathematical concepts. Objects and pictures are used to demonstrate and visualise abstract ideas, alongside numbers and symbols.
Questioning and stem sentences
Questioning Is a key part of our maths curriculum and pupils are asked to explain their thinking and reasoning in order to develop their mathematical thinking skills and vocabulary. Teachers model the language used providing stem sentences for the children to explain their understanding of concepts.
Vocabulary and knowledge organisers
We have knowledge organisers with key vocabulary listed on them for each main topic and year group. Vocabulary acquisition is a key part of our lessons and is displayed and referred to frequently.
White Rose
To help structure and plan our lessons, we use the White Rose Maths Hub small steps from their schemes of learning to ensure firm foundations and sequence our learning. Their scheme help break down larger concepts into smaller steps allowing children to be exposed to variation and develop talk for maths. Furthermore, White Rose’s Flashback 4 also helps consolidate previous learning and maintain a good level of fluency. Alongside the scheme of learning, we use a range of rich resources to enhance our lessons and deepen understanding from websites such as NCETM and NRich.
Please follow the links below to find specific blocks from each term.
Times tables
We know that to be fluent at arithmetic our pupils need to master their times tables up to 12 x 12. We have regular practise and weekly homework to encourage our children to practise their tables and teach using concrete and pictorial representations to develop a true understanding of times tables. Year 3 and 4 use Times Table Rockstars to develop quick fire recall.
The Impact of our Curriculum
Employing the Mastery approach to mathematics means that our pupils can begin to quickly and easily manipulate numbers and utilise their mathematical knowledge to a variety of problems and applications.
White Rose’s Flashback 4 aids in the children developing good mental maths and arithmetic skills. Stem sentences and teacher modelled vocabulary help develop a confidence in explaining their mathematical thinking. They are encouraged to have a go and not be afraid to make mistakes. Instead they relish the challenge and sense of achievement they get from truly mastering mathematics. Our pupils are ready for the next stage of their mathematical journey by the time they leave our school.
